COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Although the weather may still be mild, colder days are just around the corner. It could have a significant impact on those experiencing homelessness.
On 28th Street and Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs, News5 met a woman who goes by Salty.
“About a year and a half,” said Salty when asked how long she’s been homeless. “We stayed in our own tent setups.”
Her biggest concern every year comes when the temperatures start to drop.
“I started to notice my hands get really cold, real quick in the evening,” said Salty. “We warm with hand sanitizer in a burning pot.”
For her, winter in Colorado feels endless. That’s why Hope COS is already preparing to open its warming shelters. The organization says it received a permit from the city this week.
Even though the temperatures haven’t plunged yet, organizers say the need for warmth and safety starts long before freezing conditions arrive.
“It’s different when you are outside,” said Jesse Sandlin with Hope COS. “The sun goes down, and it gets cold.”
The group plans to distribute blankets and coats.
Sandlin says Hope COS is collaborating this year with the Springs Rescue Mission to provide transportation to warming centers when temperatures drop dangerously low.
They are also working to add more beds, which was a major need after last winter.
“There were not enough beds last year,” said Sandlin. “We’re working to create as many spaces as possible for people who have nowhere else to go.”
Sandlin says warming shelters open when temperatures drop under 19 degrees. Until those shelters open, people like Salty are trying to stay warm in tents.
“There are people getting hypothermia already,” said Salty. “It just breaks my heart.”
If you have extra blankets, coats, or boots to donate, Hope COS is accepting donations now to prepare for the winter months.
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